Monday, March 28, 2011

A nice weekend.

Little William came for a visit. I remembered that I had a camera just as he was headed out the door with his parents. I'm the worst grandmother ever. I got totally distracted by the charming experience of holding him. There's something that is very hypnotic about holding a tiny lump of a baby in the crook of your arm and watching him make little sound asleep baby noises and tiny little baby twitches. Next thing I know Buddy and Brianna are heading home and the trance wears off and all of a sudden I'm gasping, "Oh, Cuuuuuuuu-rap! I forgot to take pictures!"

Little William rolls his eyes impatiently at his grandma.

"Ay yi yi," he says. "When are you ever going to get the hang of this grandma thing?"

I hang my head a little. "Sorry William. You deserve better."

He says, "I sure do, grandma."

He begins to ponder the wording for his advertisement in the paper.

"Grandma wanted," it will begin.

Dylan and Brittani were in for the weekend. Brittani wanted me to teach her how to make pepperoni rolls. It was a nice morning, the two of us working side by side kneading dough, talking and getting to know each other. She is really a very nice girl.

Once again, I forgot to take pictures.

But we had piping hot pepperoni rolls, straight from the oven.

And cinnamon rolls, soft and warm and drizzled in cinnamon icing.

That should count for something.

I left for work right after that, and when I got home, I mixed up another batch of dough to make my own husband a batch of cinnamon rolls. I'd sent the first batch home with Dylan and Brittani. So once again, I kneaded dough and we talked about our grown children and our growing family. We're very lucky.

WhiteStone? William would like to interview you for the position of grandma.

Roland: sure is.

BB ~ when the legalities have been met, and we are provided with the keys, we will begin to clean. And as the place is cleaned, we will begin moving in our things. We expect to be moved in by this summer, sometime. I think that you might be more excited than I am, and I am plenty excited!

Thanks Susan! Your donkeys are adorable, but William is pretty darn cute for being hairless and all.

NW and Twain12 ~ looking at it from your perspectives, I see that I do truly have it all.

I don't believe my little Atik* said or thought any of those things about his grandma! I think his feelings for his grandma are good, if unarticulated.

*Atik - In Iñupiaq, someone who shares your name. In a very real way, this person is your relative. Technically, my legal name is "Bill" and not "William," but I have a feeling he will be called Bill and that is good enough for me to call him Atik.

My secret to rocking a baby to sleep? Tuck 'em up on your shoulder or into the crook of your arm, get 'em to close their eyes (tricky), then sing or hum a low, soft, steady tune. I'm partial to a hymn "Be Thou My Vision" or a more raucous "Did You Ever Hear of Sweet Betsy From Pike?" The trick is to keep the noise soft and gutteral, in your throat, where their little tucked ear hears it. Keep the rhythem (can't spell that?) steady to a pace that's conducive to a snooze. Works every time. Unless they have colic...then nothing works. lol

Seems to me babies love the grandmas they get! Just be you and he will be enthralled. :-) Oh, and he's a boy, so keep making those cinnamon rolls. I haven't met a boy yet who doesn't think they are sent from heaven. That's the next thing I'm teaching my biggest to do in the kitchen.

About Me

I'm the wife of a good man, the mother of good kids, the grandmother of sweet William. I am a student. A small time writer for the local paper. I am funny. I am serious. I am practical. Hardworking. I make great bread. I'm loyal.